The hidden passageway had not been disturbed for a long
time.Plastered with cobwebs, the narrow
tunnel was high enough for the giant to move through.Holding his torch above his head, Dar and
Lancer easily made their way across the jagged rocks until they reached Medusa’s
lair.They stopped just before entering
an open chamber that appeared unoccupied from what they could see thanks to the
phosphorescent glow of the damp walls, which intensified as they neared the
ocean.No longer needing the flame to
navigate, Dar wedged it into a crevice so not to alert any occupants beyond
this chamber.

Lancer held his finger to his lips.“Listen,” he whispered, his blue eyes
catching the iridescent radiance.

A masculine voice resonated from beyond the interior cavern
ahead.It belonged to Tao.

“Please, Medusa, let me see if my
friends are alive.I won’t leave you
again, I promise.”A slight pause as an
idea popped into the Eiron’s head.Make
her sleep, so he could check on his friends.He hoped that she hadn’t killed them.“Rest now,” he soothed.“You’ve
been injured and you need to rest.That’s it, Medusa, sleep.”

Dar smiled at the sound of his friend’s voice.“He’s coaxing her to sleep.Let’s go.”Gesturing towards the next opening, the Beastmaster led the way as the
pair slipped into the spacious compartment.The pungent smell of dried seaweed filled his nostrils with each
breath.The room was bathed in an eerie
green light that danced along the walls. Through the gloom, Dar spied a large
bed of kelp off to the side, empty.The
sea demon was in the adjoining cavern with Tao.

As they made their way closer to the entrance leading to the
cavern, sea mist sprayed their exposed skin.Dar licked his lips free of the salty seawater as the air was suddenly
filled with a harmonious sound, which swelled and grew around them. Tao’s soothing voice sung a melody in a
tongue neither Dar nor Lancer had ever heard before.Both song and voice were enchanting.So much so, the mesmerizing drone lured them
toward the cavern in a trance-like state.

Fortunately, Iara had followed the rescuers into the lair,
the siren’s song unable to hypnotize the snake demon.She whooshed around Lancer and planted
herself in front of the Beastmaster to stop him, but he didn’t even notice
her.He kept moving towards the alluring
song.Iara wouldn’t stand to be
ignored.She slapped her hands, cupping
them over his ears.

Dar snapped out of the trance.“Iara?What are you doing here?” he whispered.She was speaking to him, but he couldn’t hear
her with his ears blocked.His eyebrows
scrunched together, puzzled by what was going on.Then he noticed Lancer moving past him, his
slack face a blank stare, eyes glazed, as if bewitched.Alarmed, Dar grabbed his arm and pulled him
backwards.Seemingly unaware of his
surroundings, Lancer tried to break free from his grasp, but the Beastmaster’s
hold was steadfast.

Movement in front of him caught Dar’s attention, and he
watched in horror as Iara’s cranium morphed into a snake’s head before his
eyes.Amazed by the transformation, the
Beastmaster stumbled backwards almost losing his grip on Lancer, but the demon
still had her hands clamped over his ears.Suddenly, a voice resounded inside Dar’s mind, Iara was communicating
with him as a snake.

“Dar, Tao is a siren and, unbeknownst to you, his song will
draw you into danger.You need to block
your ears.You’ll be walking in there
deaf and blind.Be careful.”As soon as he nodded in understanding, Iara
returned to her human form and motioned to the cave wall.The phosphorescent glow was emitting from a
gooey substance that dripped down the rock.

With his free hand, Dar pulled some off and shaped the waxy
feeling material into a ball.Iara
signaled that he should cover Lancer’s ears first.Dar pulled the struggling knight closer and
stuck a smoothed ball into the general’s ears, one by one, cutting off all
sound.

Lancer jumped back at the sight of the snake demon, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air.It also puzzled him how he had advanced
closer to the grotto without remembering having traveled through Medusa’s
den.But the Beastmaster didn’t seem
worried, so he relaxed as he watched Iara slowly remove her cupped hands from
Dar’s ears, so he could stuff some strange goop into them.It all made sense to the knight now.He had heard of the legendary siren’s
song.Now, at a disadvantage without the
ability to hear sound with the exception of his own breathing, Lancer withdrew
his sword and waited for his fellow warrior.

For once grateful for the demon’s interference, Dar put his
arm around Iara’s shoulders and drew her close.He kissed her, more from gratitude than affection.She seemed to be keeping her end of the
bargain by assisting them in Tao’s rescue.Dar released her just as fast, and whispered, “Thank you.”

Stunned by the impulsive action, Iara didn’t realize Dar had
joined Lancer until her wits came to their senses.She turned around in time to catch the two
men sneaking into the cavern.Iara
feared for Dar’s life.

Dar removed his staff weapon from its sheath as he stepped
into the damp cave.The sea demon was
asleep, the remainder of her head of snakes joining her in slumber.Tao was propped against her body, singing
gently to sooth her rest.His
golden-orange tail hung over the edge of the crystal clear pool so only the tip
of the fin touched the seawater.Dar was
awestruck at how striking the merman appeared out of water.Tao was now one of the most spectacular
creatures he had ever seen, even more so than the Minotaur or the
Unicorns.Dar realized that he had never
really gotten the chance to study Tao’s transference thoroughly during their
first attempt to rescue him.

Lancer felt the same way.He stood in admiration but awaited Dar’s lead.It was then that Tao heard the snap of a
familiar weapon being joined together.His song drifted to silence as he glanced up at the entrance to Medusa’s
bedchamber.His face beamed upon seeing
his friends alive, but it soon changed to a look of dismay.They came to battle Medusa and they would
die.“No,” he spoke, his voice hardly
audible.

With one thrust from the massive muscle forming his tail,
Tao gracefully slipped into the pool without making a splash.The sea demon stirred but did not wake.One of the snakes, however, opened an
eye.It spied the intruders and hissed,
alarming the other snakes and its master.Medusa’s eyes shot open and she cried in anger from the intrusion.

Tao yelled a warning to his friends to run as the sea demon
rose to her full height, but to no avail, their ears were blocked by the waxy goo.He assumed his friends, being warriors, were
determined to rescue him.Tao next
pleaded with the demon.“Medusa, wait!Let them go!Don’t harm them!”

Oblivious to her pet’s pleas, Medusa jumped from the ledge
where she had been sleeping to the one Dar and Lancer now stood.Weakened from the loss of blood, the demon
aimed to end this feud by turning the pests into stone.Her eyes searched for theirs.

Lancer swung his sword above his head and struck her
legs.Although the nicks caused her
pain, Medusa reached down and scooped up the Beastmaster instead, raising him
eyelevel.Dar diverted his eyes and
began to twirl his staff weapon until it flashed into a sword.Medusa squeezed her hand, tightening around
Dar.The pressure forced the sword from
his nerveless fingers and it dropped into the pool with a splash, sinking
rapidly.Tao immediately dove to
retrieve it while Lancer now stabbed his sword into the flesh of the demon’s
calves.Medusa cried out, ready to crush
the life from her captive.

“Medusa!” Iara yelled out.“Don’t kill him!”

Surprised to see her sister, Medusa released her fist.The Beastmaster slid from her palm and
plunged into the basin.He sunk before
he could catch his breath, gulping in seawater.As he began to
lose his perception, a strong arm wrapped around his torso and lifted
him to the surface.Dar choked as he
gasped for air, allowing the merman to support him in the water.He thanked Tao without speaking, using his
Beastmaster skills.

Realizing Iara was only a distraction, Medusa kicked Lancer
aside and he landed next to the demon’s sister.The knight gazed up at Iara, but couldn’t hear what she was saying.He pulled the plugs out of his ears in time
to catch the end of her warning.The
knight reacted quickly and rolled aside as the giant’s foot slammed down where
he had just been.

In search for her other prey; Medusa noticed that her merman
held the Beastmaster captive.The sea
demon smiled, her pointed teeth gleaming as she reached for the victim.Before she could lay her hands on his friend,
Tao held up the sword of Eldar that he had retrieved from the bottom just
seconds before he save Dar and shone it so the reflection hit her eyes.He remembered the story Dar had told him of
how he stopped the demon Yamira the same way.Having caught her own deadly gaze, Medusa cried out before her body
began to harden, snakes and all.Still caught up in her spell, Tao’s
heart ached for the sea demon, but the man clutching on to him still meant
more.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Dar leaned his head against
Tao’s shoulder.The battle with the sea
demon was over, but now he would face another battle—convincing Tao to return
home.He held his friend tightly as the
merman swam over to the edge where Lancer and Iara waited.Together, they hoisted Dar onto the ledge,
but Dar never let go of Tao’s wrist, unwilling to have him flee.

“Tao!” Dar pleaded, trying to
catch his breath as he lay on the ledge.

“I can’t go back with you.Not like this,” Tao shook his head in sorrow.Suddenly, a bright light made him squint as an
ominous wizard materialized behind them.Curious, Dar turned to look too and frowned.Tao, on the other hand, smiled.“Mathias?”

Delighted by the reception, the sorcerer smiled back at the
merman.However, as if he had eyes in
the back of his head, Mathias spun around to face the knight who was raising
his sword against the intruder.“I
wouldn’t try that, Lancer.”

“How do you know my name?Who are you?” the knight asked.

“His name is Mathias.He’s a—“Tao
broke off his words, having trouble remembering.

“A sorcerer,” Iara finished.

Mathias eyed the demon, daring her to say anything that
would harm his reputation.Satisfied
that she remained quiet, he addressed the Nord.”Whilst I was banished in ice, I watched you as a young lad, watched you
turn into a fine soldier, and then watched you fall in love with a Namib
warrior whose ambitions of power and revenge kept her at a distance.”

“You watched me?Why me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, I watched many mortals and
immortals as well,” Mathias confessed, shifting his eyes to Iara and then back
as he addressed the soldier again.“Be
warned, Lancer, women are wonderful creatures to stimulate your blood, but if
you dare fall in love, you’ll bleed to death.”

“You sound bitter,” Lancer replied, lowering his weapon.

Mathias raised his eyebrows.“I thought I sounded wise,” he replied and then shrugged.

Mathias nodded in approval of the Beastmaster’s
accomplishments.“I see you’ve
succeeded, Dar.Medusa is quite
incapacitated.I’m impressed.”

Having not heard the sorcerer, Dar repeated Mathias’
words.“It’s done.Medusa’s been incapacitated.Can you change Tao back?”

The Sorcerer rolled his eyes.“You aren’t listening, are you?”He next unrolled his hand and the earplugs
appeared in his palm.“Maybe now you can
hear me.I will try to undo what Medusa
has done to Tao.”The sorcerer waved his
hand but nothing happened.Tao remained
a merman.

“What’s wrong?” Dar asked.“I thought you could change him back!”Desperate, the Beastmaster looked to the snake demon.“Iara?”

“I can only strip Tao of his powers, if he has any, not make
him human again.”Her heart went out to
the discouraged man.“I’m sorry,
Dar.If Mathias can’t change Tao back,
then he’s lost to the sea.”

“I won’t accept that!” Dar raged.

“What if I don’t want to be changed back?” Tao blurted.“I enjoy being a sea creature.There is so much to explore in the
ocean.I may even visit Atlantis.”

“No, Tao.You’re
coming home with me!” Dar commanded.His
heart sunk when Tao managed to slip free.Within seconds he skimmed across the pool to the other side.“Tao!”

“I’m no longer part of your world, Dar.Face facts... I’m a merman.Iara’s right, I belong in the sea now.”Tao gazed in his friend’s eyes.“You’re safe now.Leave and let me be.”With that said Tao dove deep into the basin
and disappeared from view.

Lancer called out to his friend, but it was Dar’s feral roar
that resounded through the cavern.

Upset that the sorcerer was blaming Dar, Iara stepped
forward.“Why are you so interested in
Tao?” she demanded.“Just let him
go.It’s what he wants.There’s nothing you can do!”

Mathias didn’t have time for needless aggravation or
questions.With a flip of his wrist Iara
vanished.The wizard didn’t care for the
suspicious look Dar was giving him.He’d
get nothing accomplished without an explanation.“I sent her back to her own snake pit of a
lair.You have to trust me, Dar.Call to Tao now or we’ll lose him
forever.I have a plan, but it needs his
cooperation.”

Lancer encouraged Dar with a flick of his head in
consent.They had no other options.Exhausted, Dar concentrated and found his
friends thoughts.

Tao was already swimming in the open ocean where he chose to
be.His mind suddenly rang with a voice
pleading for his return.Something about
Mathias and a plan, but more persuasive was the bond that he and Dar shared—a bond
the Beastmaster vowed would never be severed.He swore he would haunt for Tao every minute of every day.To strengthen his urgency, memories of how
their friendship began and how it grew flooded the merman’s thoughts.The voice was a beacon and Tao turned around
to follow it.

~ ~ ~ ~

The merman broke through the surface but kept his distance
from the ledge where his friends awaited him.

“Tao, Mathias has a plan, but you have to want this as much
as the rest of us do.”Dar’s eyes were
wet, the reflection of the pool glistening and dancing in his pupils.

“Tao,” Lancer added, “it’s the only way to set things right
again.Not just you, but Arina, Zad and
the others.Just listen to Mathias.”

The merman eyed his sorcerer friend.“What do you propose?”

“A chance to do it all over again through a riff in
time.I’ll send the three
of you back to the time when you found the mermaid.You will be the only mortals that have any
memories of the past two days.If you
can save the mermaid, Medusa won’t need to make you a merman.Dar and Lancer can prevent Medusa from
attacking you and Arina.Should you all
fail, you’ll be a merman again.”

Tao studied the forlorn visages of his two mortal friends
and then that of the sorcerer.Mathias
had a determined look carved into his features.It worried Tao, so he nodded his acceptance.“Let’s do it.”

A blinding flash forced the mortals to cover their eyes.

~ ~ ~ ~

The brilliant flash lasted only for a moment and then
terminated with a wave of instability.The
trio barely caught their balance, Tao tried to steady his balance since his fin
had been turned back into legs, but had no success; he fell to his knees.They soon discovered that they were back on
the beach near the seaside village in familiar positions: Lancer was standing
beside his king, while Dar stood beside Arina facing the knights and Tao was tending
to the dying mermaid.

Dar deserted Arina and scrambled back to help Tao.

Taken aback by the Beastmaster’s rash action, Arina shifted
into a defensive stance.King Zad
ignored any threat from the Namib warrior, having a business transaction on his
mind, and addressed the fisherman hiding behind her.“Well, Jessic, since you’re the only one who
didn’t run and hide, I’ll offer you this hefty bag of shiny stones for that
creature.”

Jessic’s eyes shifted around for backup but discovered he
was alone in the midst of strangers.“I
can’t accept your offer, King Zad.She
belongs to the demon, Medusa.”

Lancer stood beside his king, who was alive and full of
vigor once again.His smiled broadened
when he saw Arina safe as well, but immediately hid his enthusiasm when Zad glanced at him
curiously.

Tao paid no attention to the fact that he had legs again
when he saw the mermaid—first things first.“She’s dying,” he announced as he fought to think clearly on his
new-found experience and knowledge of the sea.“Dar, help me get her into the shallows.”

The Beastmaster lifted the woman’s upper body while Tao
hoisted the tail into his arms, both men rushing to the shoreline.They lowered the mermaid into the knee-deep water
just seconds before the ocean began to bubble and churn further out.Knowing what was about to rise out of the
water, Dar concentrated on protecting Tao this time around.The sea demon would not take him a second
time.

Lancer ordered his knights back and he grabbed Arina’s arm,
warning her and the others not to look into the demon’s eyes.

The gigantic monster of a woman, Medusa, rose out of the
ocean.

The mermaid appreciated being returned to the water, but she
was still losing blood.Tao raced over
to the nets and grabbed a sea urchin.He
ran back and quickly placed it over the wound.This helped but too late, her eyes closed as she exhaled her last
breath.“No…” Tao whispered.He looked to Dar.